Switch for series arc-circuits



Na. 750,971. PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

G. D. HASKINS. SWITCH FOR SERIES ARC CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1902.

no MODEL,

Fig.1.

(D ibnesses:

Inventor: 7 Car |D.HasKins,

No. 750,971. Patented February 2, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn' OARYL D. HASKINS, OF SOHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEE- ERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NE\V YORK.

SWITCH FOR SERIES ARC-CIRCUITS.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,971, dated February 2, 1904:. Application filed August 22,1902. Serial No. 120,675. \No model.)

110 1077101711 it W OOTLOWW is thrust between the springs 1, the ends of 5 Be it known thatI, OARYL D. HASKINS, acitisaid springs will ride down the opposite sides zen of the United States, residing at Schenecof the diamond until they come in contact tady, county of Schenectady, State of New with the contact-plates Sand establish an elec- 5 York, have invented certain new and useful trical connection between the conductors 2 Improvements in Switches for Series Arc-Cirand the conductors In order to prevent cuits, of which the following is a specification. the main circuit of the conductors 2 from be- This invention relates to switches for coning broken when the springs are separated by trolling electric circuits and especially circuits the pointed end of the diamomhshaped con- IQ for lighting by means of arc-lamps connected tact-piece, said piece is provided with a wedgein series. In cutting a group of series arcshaped metallic tip 10, which serves as a lamps into circuit it is desirable to make the bridging contact. So long as the springs are lamp connections before breaking the circuit in contact with this metallic tip the electrical connections and in cutting out the lamps to continuity of-the main circuit is not broken.

I 5 make the circuit connections before breaking The lower ends of this tip 10 extend down on the lamp connections. Moreover, it is desireach side of the upper portion of the diaable to have the switch go through from its mend-shaped contact-piece and lap past the 4 I n o n V on to its off position positively with upper ends of the contact-plates 8, but w1th the least possibility of its sticking and reout coming in direct metallic contact there- 20 maining half opened or closed. My invention with, a narrow strip of-insulating material 11 effects these results by means of a movable being interposed between the adjacent edges 7 diamond-shaped contact device cooperating of the tip 10 and the plates 8. The arrange- With separable spring-contacts, as herewith ment is such, however, that as the contactset forth, and particularly pointed out in the piece is moved upward the springs 4 will 2 5 claims. make contact with the upper ends of the In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is plates 8 before they leave the lower ends of a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a Vertical crossthe tip 10. In this way the connection besection of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. tween the conductors 2 and 5 is made before Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3, the main circuit is broken.

0 Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the An important feature of my invention lies movable contact-piece. in the fact that no springs or similar devices 8 The several parts of the switch are conare depended upon to carry the contact-piece tained in a casing 1, into which are led the past the center. The operator must exercise terminals of the main conductors 2, which are considerable pressure to overcome the resist- 3 5 secured to binding-posts 3. Secured to each ance of the springs in thrusting the tip bebinding-post is a main contact, preferably a tween the springs and in separating them. spring 4:, of phosphor-bronze or other highly- This resistance reaches a maximum when the conductive material, of such a length, temper, springs are at the widest point of the diamond. and shape that the two remain normally in As the springs pass this point the resistance 40 firm contact with each other, as shown in dotto the forward movement of the contact-piece ted lines in Fig. 1. The terminals of the suddenly disappears, and since the operator is branch or lamp circuit conductors 5 are also at this moment exerting the greatest effort to brought into the casing 1 and secured to bindmove the contact-piece the result is that it reing-posts 6. Flexiblenon-resilientconductors ceives a sudden acceleration of speed which 45 7 connect said binding-posts with metallic urges it forward to the final position, leaving contact-plates 8, secured to the opposite sides the switch firmly in the on position. \Vhcn of a diamond-shaped contact-piece 9, of porthe contact-piece is withdrawn to open the celain or other insulating material. WV hen lamp-circuit, the same effect takes place as the the pointed end ofv this diamond-shaped piece springs pass the widest point of the diamond.

The contact-piece is preferably provided with means for guiding it in a straight line in its reciprocating movement. A convenient construction for this purpose is shown in the drawings, where the contact-piece is provided with a flanged rib l2, engaging in an undercut groove 13 in the back 14: of the inclosing casing. The contact-piece is provided with a suitable handle 15, by which it can be operated.

It will be seen that this switch forms a convenient and simple mode of cutting a series arc-lamp circuit into and out of circuit with the main line without at any time breaking the continuity of the circuit, and, furthermore, that its operation is such that there is no danger of the switch failing to completely open or close the circuit, as the case may be.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent or the United States, is-

1. In a switch, the combination with maineircuit terminals and branch-circuit terminals to be connected in series therewith, of normally closed main contacts connected with said main terminals, and a movable diamond-shaped piece carrying contacts connected with the branch terminals and adapted to enter between and separate said main contacts.

2. In a switch, the combination with normally closed spring-contacts, of a diamondshaped piece carrying separate contacts on two adjacent sides, and a single contact covering the other two sides and intermediate point.

3. In a switch, the combination with normally closed spring-contacts, of a diamondshaped piece carrying separate contacts on two adjacent sides, and a single contact covering the other two sides and intermediate point, the adjacent edges of said contacts being lapped past each other but not in contact.

4. In a switch, the combination with a diamond-shaped piece of insulation, of a metallic bridging contact covering one end and two sides of said piece and extending slightly beyond the widest part of the diamond, a separate contact on each of the two other sides of the diamond, said contacts extending up to the widest part of the diamond but not making connection with the bridging contact, and two spring-contacts, normally closed on each other but adapted to be separated and connected by the bridging contact, and to pass therefrom unto the separate contacts without breaking the circuit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of August, 1902.

CARYL D. HASKINS.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, JOSEPH A. L. ENDRES. 

